The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Aglaonema plant, botanically known as Aglaonema hybrida, and hereinafter referred to by the name xe2x80x98Emerald Bayxe2x80x99.
The new Aglaonema is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of the Aglaonema hybrida cultivar 39303, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,140. The new Aglaonema was discovered by the Inventor in a controlled environment in Apopka, Fla., as a single plant within a large population of tissue-cultured plants of the cultivar 39303. The selection of this plant was based on its attractive and unique variegated foliage. Plants of the new Aglaonema differ primarily from plants of the parent cultivar in coloration as plants of the new Aglaonema lack yellow coloration in the stems, leaf petioles and leaves.
Asexual propagation of the new cultivar by stem cuttings in Apopka, Fla., since the summer of 1998, has shown that the unique features of this new Aglaonema plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual propagation.
The new Aglaonema has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity, water status, fertilizer level and propagation procedures, without, however, any variance in genotype.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of xe2x80x98Emerald Bayxe2x80x99. These characteristics in combination distinguish xe2x80x98Emerald Bayxe2x80x99 as a new and distinct cultivar:
1. Freely basal branching growth habit.
2. Attractive and unique variegated foliage; leaves are silvery gray in the center, with random dark green and gray-green blotches towards the margins, and dark green margins.
3. Light green-colored petioles.